The present invention relates to skylight assemblies. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a modular skylight that can be placed in a desired location on a roof and interlocked with adjacent panels of the roof.
Add-on rooms such as sun rooms of residential housing, have become popular. The add-on rooms can either be constructed from conventional building materials or from a prefabricated kit. Prefabricated add-on rooms are advantageous from the standpoint of simplicity of assembly and ease of handling. These aspects tend to hold down the otherwise high cost of these rooms. Such rooms often employ modular or multi-panel type roof systems. These generally include a series of spaced frame elements between which roof panels are secured.
One disadvantage, however, of such modular constructions is that a skylight is difficult to selectively integrate into the roof structure of this type of room. This is due to the prefabricated aspect of the roofing design and the necessity of uniform assembly methods. Oftentimes when a skylight is desired, a hole needs to be cut in the already assembled roof so that a skylight structure can be mounted in the hole. Even if the add-on room is constructed of conventional materials, the roof needs to be first built and then a hole needs to be cut in it so that a skylight can be mounted in the hole.
It is also known to construct modular type buildings using a plurality of interlocking panels for the walls of the building. These generally comprise pairs of sheet metal skins secured together in spaced parallel relationship and having a panel of thermoinsulating material between them. Opposed longitudinal marginal edges of these panels can be formed as mating tongues and sockets to interfit in assembled relationship with adjacent panels. However, these panels are merely used for the walls of the building and not its roof. In addition, the interlocking panels are wall elements, not windows or skylights.
One type of a modular skylight assembly that can be used with a modular roofing system is known. However, this type of assembly does not employ an integral skylight unit. Rather, the assembly includes a pair of unconnected skylight panel members comprising an outer roof member and an inner ceiling member. Each of these needs to be separately secured to adjacent roofing sections each having an outer roof panel and an inner ceiling panel. The outer skylight member has side edges that mate with side edges of the adjacent roof panels. The inner skylight member is supported by mounting clips from the adjacent ceiling panels. This structure does not facilitate the easy installation of the skylight assembly. The failure to utilize a modular design for the skylight, may also lead to air or water leaks and reduces the structural strength of the roof.
Accordingly, it has been considered desirable to develop a new and improved modular interlocking skylight and roof panel assembly which would overcome the foregoing difficulties and others while providing better and more advantageous overall results.